Yahoo! News asked readers to reflect on the passing of Maurice Sendak. Here is one fan's appreciation.
The news that Maurice Sendak died today came with the knowledge that the world lost a treasure -- a creative mind he was kind enough to share with us. Sendak has been an inspiration to me since I was a child, taking me away from the fears in the night that were a part of my everyday life. Though he illustrated and wrote several books, "Where the Wild Things Are" has had more of an influence on me than any other.
"…and the walls became the world all around and an ocean tumbled by with a private boat…"
This one single line of text provided me with a childhood sanctuary where I could hide within my own mind. Yet, the influence of the description itself can be seen in my decorating methods as I sometimes try to create a world within my home.
It is not lost on me that Sendak is the descendant of Polish immigrants either. My own maternal family consists of Polish immigrants. In my mind's eye, I strive for success in my creative endeavors with Maurice Sendak in mind. No amount of jokes in poor taste can wield enough power to diminish the creative success that Sendak enjoyed.
"Where the Wild Things Are" was much more than a childhood story to me. Though I didn't know it as a child, this was one of the first children's books to so obviously incorporate the reality of inner demons with the escape of fantasy. It was my first real experience with bringing a book to life in my mind. As an adult, it serves as a constant reminder that we all have "wild things" inside of us.
